Target Practice
by Voyager Tip
Summary: Did you ever wonder why Hardcastle missed the center of the target at the beginning of "Goin Nowhere Fast" even though he claimed to be an expert marksman?
1. The Thing About JJ

Ch 1 The Thing About J.J.

Mark McCormick watched as the police cars pulled out of the driveway. He kept his eye on the one with J.J. Beale in the back seat until it was gone. He tried to sort through his feelings regarding the other ex con, but was having a bit of trouble deciding how he felt. After Hardcastle had grabbed the $20 back from him, he had shoved his hands in his pockets and headed toward the beach.

Hardcastle had been comparing him to Beale, almost from the moment he got the phone call about Beale's prison escape, and Mark had always seemed to come up lacking. But, as smart as Beale was supposed to be, he was the one under arrest and Mark was here, living in the Gatehouse, and working with Hardcastle. Clearly, Mark had a better life. He was the winner in this quasi game. Then why did he feel so down? Hardcastle had asked him if he was jealous, and maybe he was, just a little, because Beale had been chosen first. "_If Beale hadn't screwed up, I wouldn't be here at all,"_ he thought.

But there was more to it, the judge thought Beale was a genius. "_Hardcastle wishes Beale was here, not me,"_ he thought sadly. "_So does Sarah."_

"_Well, that doesn't do them any good, because what they've got is me!"_ he thought angrily, "_whether they like it or not."_


	2. Sarah's Take On It

H&M Ch 2 Sarah's Take On It

"Mark wanted you to say something nice about him Your Honor" Sarah said as she watched McCormick walk toward the beach.

"I said he was almost as smart as Beale," Hardcastle defended himself.

"I bet you've spent quite a bit of time telling Mark about all of J.J.'s great qualities, and how he didn't measure up," Sarah accused.

The judge sighed guiltily, "well, maybe," then accused his housekeeper, "what about you? You could've said something nice just now, but all you could say was how good looking Beale is."

Silence.

"Then I guess we're both guilty, Your Honor."

"Guilty? Of what?" Milt blustered.

"Of not considering Mark's feelings. Of not being nice." Sarah answered.

"I didn't bring him here to be nice to him!"

Sarah nodded, "yes, Your Honor, you did, and you and I both know that Mark is a 1,000 times better person than Beale, even if he did impress you with his fancy college education," then she turned and walked away before the judge could think of a retort.


	3. The Target

H&M Ch 3 The Target

Mark walked about a quarter of a mile up the beach before he stopped, took a deep breath and stared out over the ocean. He'd never spent much time near the water, and certainly had never lived on the ocean before, but he'd quickly realized the calming effect the ocean had on him. It seemed to help him cut through the minute details of a problem and see the important things more clearly.

Today was no different. As he stared at the ocean, he understood the great gift he'd been given, and he refused to waste any more time feeling sad. He needed to focus on doing what Hardcastle expected of him, period. It was as simple as that. So, he made his way back to the familiar beach path with a lighter heart.

As he walked up from the beach, Mark spied the target they'd been using before the judge got the phone call from Beale yesterday. It had been left out when they had abruptly left for the prison. Thinking that the judge would want it put away, he bent to pick it up, but suddenly straightened. He stared at the target, and suddenly had a flash of insight.

"That old donkey," he whispered as he shook his head, "now why would he play it that way?"

He thought back to the previous week, when Hardcastle had stood at the end of that bus and shot the gun right out of that scum Quinlan's hand before he could kill Mark at point blank range. That had been an amazing shot, and now McCormick knew that it hadn't been a fluke. It had been very deliberate and very accurate.

"One of these days I've gotta finish figuring him out," Mark whispered to himself as he shook his head and walked toward the house.

"Hi Sarah," he announced as he walked into the kitchen.

Sarah looked up from the counter, "you can set the table Mark."

McCormick stared, his mouth open. "You've got to be kidding Sarah."

"What?"

"You were held hostage this afternoon, you can't possibly have supper ready, let me go out and pick up something."

"Nonsense Mark, we have plenty of leftovers and I'm perfectly capable of cooking an hour after those men were arrested."

McCormick stared at her and sighed, "yeah, I know you are, but, we were pretty scared for you."

Silence.

"Thank you. It seems I'm always the one scared for you and His Honor."

Mark smiled, "_she included me,"_ he thought.

"I said to set the table."

"Yes, Ma'am."


	4. Getting To Know You

Ch 4 Getting to Know You

After supper was over, Mark answered the judges nightly invitation to watch a movie with an invitation of his own.

"Can I show you something outside first?" Mark asked.

"What?"

"I've gotta show you."

"McCormick!"

"No, come on judge, you've gotta come outside."

"Huh," Hardcastle groaned and shook his head as he stood up and followed the kid.

They walked out to the shooting range, where the target still stood.

"See that target?" McCormick began.

"Of course I see it, it's right there you idiot!" Hardcastle complained.

"I see it too. In fact I can read it pretty well judge."

"What in the world are you talking about McCormick?"

"Where you hit the target, that's what I'm talking about."

The judge smiled, "what do you mean?"

"You know very well what I mean judge! Every one of the bullets you shot at that target hit 2 and a quarter inches from the outside of the figure. Well, one was 2 and a half inches, I measured." He paused for emphasis and Hardcastle didn't respond. "That's some shooting judge," he said in awe.

"I told you I was an expert marksman didn't I?"

"I made fun of you and you didn't correct me," Mark said seriously.

Hardcastle shrugged.

"Why?" McCormick pressed.

"Kiddo, I don't need to impress you to make myself feel good. Anyway, it's more fun to wait for you to figure it out on your own."

"More fun? Judge, I said your eyes were going, I made fun of you!"

"Now see, this is a lot more fun than just trying to impress you with my shooting skills." Hardcastle paused, then added, "but it never would've worked with Beale."

Mark's eyes narrowed, "what do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, one thing that was wrong with Beale, was that he never cared to notice or appreciate anyone else. He never would've noticed this or bothered to figure it out."

"Really?"

"Not in a million years kiddo."

Silence.

"Guess that makes me smarter than him after all, huh?" McCormick announced.

"Better anyway," Hardcastle conceded as he pulled out a $20 bill from his wallet and held it toward the ex con.

"What's this for?"

"You won the last pulse check."

"Beale did judge."

"Beale wasn't in on our bet, and besides..." Hardcastle paused, not sure he wanted to continue the thought.

"Besides what?"

"He's a liar McCormick. The money's yours."

McCormick took the bill slowly, a strange expression on his face.

"I thought he was a genius?"

"He is," Hardcastle said simply.

"Did you just say I was better than him?" McCormick asked with a smile.

"According to Sarah."

"Sarah? I didn't think she even liked me. Course, I guess even if she thinks I'm better, it doesn't necessarily mean she likes me."

"Well, you're the only one she's ever eaten with at the table."

"You're kidding!" Mark sounded shocked.

"Nope, it's true."

This was too much. Mark shook his head and returned to their previous conversation. "So, why didn't you just shoot at the center of the target?"

Hardcastle chuckled, "now, a smart guy like you should be able to figure that out."

McCormick stared at the judge, then back at the target. Finally he spoke. "You don't need to hit the center, do you?"

The judge shook his head, "no."

"All you need to do is put the bullet where you want it to go."

"That's right kiddo."

"And you saved the center of the target for me?"

"We're gonna miss the beginning of that movie if we don't stop all this jabberin and get inside," Hardcastle said, clearly done with the discussion.

McCormick shook his head and smiled, "you're something else Hardcase."

"Now you're cookin," the judge said over his shoulder as he walked away.

"Not sure what though," Mark whispered to himself as he shook his head and followed the judge inside.

The End


End file.
